


In Which a Picnic is Interrupted

by mairelon



Category: Enchanted Forest Chronicles - Patricia Wrede, WREDE Patricia - Works
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-01
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-15 16:58:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2236566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mairelon/pseuds/mairelon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mendanbar and Cimorene's picnic keeps getting interrupted by people asking for directions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Which a Picnic is Interrupted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [storm_queen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/storm_queen/gifts).



The knight in the bronze armor nearly kicked over the jug of cider before the picnic even started.

"Watch it!" Cimorene called. She moved the jug closer to the center of the blanket.

The knight set down the huge harp he was carrying and wiped his face with a handkerchief. "Beg pardon, madam. I didn't see you there. Tell me, would you perchance know where Bluebell Meadow is?"

Cimorene looked at Mendanbar. Even after a month of being Queen of the Enchanted Forest, she still was not fully cognizant of the geography of the Enchanted Forest, especially given its penchant for moving things around.

Mendanbar frowned into the distance. "Right now, it is about a twenty walk away from here. Go that way until you come to a stream. Then turn left at the stream and follow it until you reach a glass hill. Cross the stream opposite the glass hill. The Bluebell Meadow is about a five minute walk into the forest."

"Thank you, sir."

"What are you doing with that harp?" Cimorene asked.

The knight suddenly looked nervous. "Good day." He picked up the harp and left the meadow in a brisk trot.

"What do you make of that?" asked Cimorene.

Mendanbar looked up from unpacking the picnic basket. "What? What do I make of what?"

"That knight looked very shifty when I asked him about the harp. He left in too much of a hurry considering that he's lugging around a harp nearly as tall as himself. And did you notice that he didn't answer my question?"

"Maybe he's late for an appointment," Mendanbar said through a mouthful of egg salad sandwich.

Cimorene shrugged and grabbed a ham sandwich from the plate.

Ten minutes later, a girl in a ragged green cloak stumbled into the clearing. She carried a large basket that honked angrily. "Excuse me," she said, keeping a hand firmly on the lid of the basket. "Is this the correct way to Bluebell Meadow?"

"Yes," said Mendanbar. "It's about an twenty minute walk away from here."

"Thank you," the girl said. A fat, white goose burst out from the girl's basket. With the ease of long practice, the girl shoved it back into the basket and slammed down the lid.

"Why do you think those two people are going to Bluebell Meadow?" Mendanbar asked after the girl had left. He poured more cider into Cimorene's cup.

"A romantic assignation?" Cimorene suggested.

"But with a goose and a giant harp?"

"The harp for romantic music. And the goose for dinner," said Cimorene doubtfully.

"She's going to butcher the goose and cook it in front of him during a romantic dinner?"

"Well, why do you think they're going there then?"

They speculated about the knight and the girl for awhile and then moved on to speculating about what the Darkwing elves were currently up to. They were just finishing the last sandwich when a prince entered the clearing. He wore a blue velvet doublet and a gold crown with diamonds and sapphires. In his hands were a pair of gently worn gray suede boots.

"Where is Bluebell Meadow?" the prince asked.

"Go that way until you reach the stream," said Mendanbar. "Turn left and keep walking until you see a glass hill. Then cross the stream and head into the forest for about five minutes."

Without another word, the prince left.

"What is going on at Bluebell Meadow?" Cimorene wondered. "It looks like there is an open market going on there."

"There should be nothing there but bluebells," said Mendanbar. "And some moss. But no markets."

"Come on. Let's go check it out."

"But what about the cherries jubilee?"

"We can have that later."

Cimorene and Mendanbar packed up their picnic supplies back into the basket. Then Mendanbar picked up the basket and transported them to Bluebell Meadow. They appeared at the edge of the clearing in the shadows of a large tree.

In the center of the clearing was a small cottage, which hadn't been there when Mendanbar had last visited the meadow a few months ago. It was a charming cottage with cheerful red shutters and red roses growing up the sides of the walls.

Mendanbar could see through the open windows that the cottage consisted of a single room filled with mismatched furniture. The shelves and tables were crammed with miscellaneous objects, including several dozen stoppered bottles, two unicorn horns, and a pair of silver slippers. Several magic mirrors hung on the walls, and a dozen magic carpets lay on the floor. There was a large wardrobe overflowing with invisibility cloaks and enchanted ballgowns. A cage of frogs hung from the rafters. Mendanbar saw the harp the knight had been carrying in a corner of the room, but there was no sign of the knight or the occupant of the house.

Just then, the girl in the green cloak came into the meadow. She marched up to the front door and rapped firmly on the doorknocker. There was no answer. She knocked again. A woman with long golden hair suddenly appeared directly behind the girl.

"Do you have it?" the woman asked.

The girl gave a strangled scream and spun around. She took a deep breath and held up her basket. "Yes. A goose that lays golden eggs. Now, where's my father?"

"In a minute. Let me see the goose first."

The girl opened the basket. The goose promptly tried to escape but the girl shoved it back into the basket. "I'm not handing this over until I see my father."

"Suit yourself."

Suddenly, the girl transformed into a frog. The woman smiled and scooped up the frog and the basket and went into the house.

Mendanbar saw her place the frog and the goose into the cage. Then she transported away.

"That is an evil sorceress," said Cimorene when the woman was gone.

"Yes," said Mendanbar. "And she has no business using the Enchanted Forest as her base of operations."

"We need to rescue the frogs."

"Hold on. There are spells to warn her about anyone approaching the cottage. Let me break them first."

Mendanbar reached out and plucked a thread of magic running through the cottage. "There, it's broken. Let's go."

Cimorene led the way to the cottage and picked the lock. She went in and picked up the cage with the frogs and goose, brought it outside, and opened the cage.

Mendanbar undid the enchantments on the frogs. With a pop, a dozen people appeared where the frogs were. The knight in the bronze armor staggered and nearly trampled the goose. The goose snapped at him and he stumbled backwards into the girl with the green cloak. She put out an arm to steady him and then threw her arms around a woodcutter. "Papa! Are you hurt?"

The knight hugged an older lady who kept hopping whenever she tried to take a step. "Are you alright, Mother?"

Similar reunions were going on all over the meadow as rescuers reunited with their rescuees. The prince in the blue doublet entered the clearing, ran up to a princess with wavy dark hair, and hugged her. The knight came up Cimorene and Mendanbar and apologized for his earlier rudeness. "The sorceress demanded a magic harp for my mother's ransom," he explained. "She said if I told anyone what about the kidnapping or the ransom, I would never see my mother again."

Just then, the sorceress transported back to the meadow and took in the scene. "Who did this?" she demanded.

Silence descended on the newly freed prisoners and they backed away from her. The sorceress's gaze landed on Mendanbar and Cimorene. "Are you the ones responsible for this outrage?"

"Yes," said Cimorene boldly. "And let me tell you what I think of your behavior. Turning people into frogs! Taking ransoms without releasing the hostages! Keeping a goose in a tiny cage with a dozen frogs! I wish I had a bucket of soapy water with me!"

The sorceress raised her hand and Mendanbar realized she was going to blast Cimorene with fire. He plucked a thread and turned her into a frog. "You'll stay that way until you've felt true remorse for what you've done."

The frog glared at him and hopped away.

Mendanbar looped an arm around Cimorene's waist. "Sorry you didn't get to finish telling her off."

Cimorene turned and kissed him. "Oh, well. Let's finish our picnic here. Can you conjure more food from the kitchen?"

Mendanbar did so. "We have sandwiches, cider, and cherries jubilee for everyone," Cimorene announced.


End file.
